Grandpa's Will
by noomma
Summary: Tohru gets a call from her grandpa. He wants her to come over and discuss her future. Surprises happen and on top of it all, she has to deal with her nemesis, Negisan the evil spring onion. Ch5 up! Sorry for the delay!
1. The Evil NegiSan

Grandpa's Will

Chapter 1: Evil ways of Negi-san

Humming to herself as she readied dinner, Tohru smiled as she smelled the cooking salmon in the small broiler. It looked particularly fresh when she saw it at the market. "Hmm, that smells so good. Mom would be so proud."

She sniffed in satisfaction as she smelled the wild mushroom soup that she was making. It was coming nicely. Tasting it, she hummed with pleasure. "I think this is one of the best soups I ever made, Mom. To think that Saki-chan showed it to me online on that Internet recipe web-thing, it really tastes good."

"Now to start on the vegetables for salad," Tohru decided as she started chopping up vegetables. She smiled as she looked at the fresh produce from Yuki's secret base. She started to sing along with the radio absently. After going quickly through the romaine lettuce, carrots, garlic, tomatoes and scallions, she was finally ready to chop her yearly enemy: the spring onions. She could never fully cut the first onion without something happening to her. Funny how it was that it was only the first onions in the spring and not any other that always did something to her. Thank heavens spring only came once a year. "All right, Mom. I'm ready! Negi-san- prepare to be chopped! You will not cause me to cry uncontrollable tears today! You will not cause me to hurt myself today! I am ready for you!"

With a deep battle cry, Tohru started chopping the onion vigorously. "Hiii-ya!"

"Tohru, what's going on?" called out a pleading voice. "And what smells so good? It's making me hungry. Tohru?"

"Oh, Shigure-san! You're back!" Tohru startled as she turned to look at Shigure as he entered the kitchen with Kyo and Hatori behind him. "Ow!"

"Oh, Hell! You're bleeding!" Kyo yelped as he saw spurts of blood on her hand. "What do you think you're doing? Did you cut your entire hand off? Your fingers?"

Alarmed, Shigure quickly crossed the kitchen towards her but was beaten by Hatori and Kyo. Pushing the excited Neko out of the way, Hatori gently took her hand as she tried to cradle it away from him. "Tohru let me see your hand."

"But Hatori-san," Tohru started to protest. "Your clothes will get-"

"To hell with his clothes!" Kyo yelled as he tried to look over Hatori's shoulder. "Is she all right? Does she need the hospital?"

"Kyo, calm down!" Shigure ordered as he stood on behind Kyo and placed a hand on the younger boy's shoulder. His face paled as he saw the amount of blood coming from Tohru's hand. "You're not helping the situation and you're upsetting Tohru-kun."

"I'm calm! I'm calm!" Kyo said in a near yell as he pulled away from Shigure's hand. "Hatori, is there anything-"

"Kyo, you're not calm," Shigure countered as glared at the younger boy.

"Both of you get out if you're going to argue. Now give me your hand, Tohru, and never mind my clothes," Hatori ordered as he took out a kerchief from his pocket, he started to stem the bleeding on her index, middle and ring fingers. "Shigure, get the first aid. Kyo, get me some clean towels then step back. I can't fully check her hand with you hovering like that."

Hatori cautiously opened the bloody kerchief as he took a towel from Kyo. At first glance, the amount of blood made it look like she had severed her fingers, but she didn't. He started gently check her fingers, they were all there. Letting out the breath he didn't know he was holding, Hatori looked at her and smiled gently. "I have to check your muscles but I think that you managed to scrape a few layers of skin off instead of severing anything, Tohru."

"Oh- Hatori-san! Don't mind it-I think that it's only a small cut!" Tohru said as tears started to come out her eyes. She sniffed as the spring onions started to sting her eyes. Through the tears, she glowered at the onion as best she could. "It's only Negi-san having its revenge on me! I threatened it."

"How is our little flower?" Shigure asked as he entered the kitchen with the first-aid kit and put it down on the counter.

Kyo punched Shigure in the chest before answering. He looked down on the collapsed Dog gasping for breath. "She's blaming it on the spring onion instead of you."

"I see," Shigure gasped as he slowly got up off the floor. "You've gotten a stronger punch."

"See! The cursed Negi-san- it's started fighting between Shigure-san and Kyo-kun," Tohru wailed as she looked at Hatori. "Ow!"

"Be gentle with her Harii, she is delicate. I doubt that an onion could do this. Kyo's just mad at me for distracting you while you were chopping," Shigure said as he looked at Tohru indulgently. He blinked as she scowled towards at him then with a sniff, she pointed looked at the cutting board.

Startled at her displeasure, Shigure looked at Hatori and Kyo questioningly but saw Hatori simply shrug and a pained expression on Kyo's. "Tohru-kun?"

"It was Negi-san! Just-just you wait until next year! You won't get me then!" Tohru declared adamantly as she pointed at it with her other hand. "Ow! Hatori-san! That hurts!"

"Sorry about that, Tohru-kun," Hatori said as he looked at her. "But I needed to see if the bleeding had stopped."

Tohru sniffed. "It wasn't your fault. It was the spring onion's fault."

"I'm home," Yuki said as he entered the kitchen. He blinked as he saw Hatori holding Tohru's hand while Kyo stood on her other side. He paled considerably as he saw the towel speckled wit blood. He dropped his books and rushed towards Tohru and Hatori. "What's going on? Honda-kun, why are you bleeding? Are you all right?"

"Relax. Tohru just hurt herself," Kyo said curtly as he looked at the damn Rat. He nodded towards the cutting board. "She cut her fingers while making supper. It was because Shigure distracted her."

"I didn't know she was cutting up an onion," Shigure said as he lifted his hands up defensively. "And I'd like to say that Kyo already hit me for it."

His hands clenched in fists, Yuki narrowed his eyes at Shigure. "You distracted her-"

"It wasn't Shigure-san's fault! It was Negi-san's fault not mine!" Tohru sniffed as she frowned at Yuki and then at Kyo. "Really!"

Taken aback at her frown, Kyo scowled at her. "How can it be the onion's fault? You were the one with the knife, weren't you?"

"That doesn't matter," Tohru sniffed as she gave him a hurt look. "I'm telling you, it was the Negi-san's fault. It was angry at me so it did this!"

Clearing his throat, Yuki quickly asked, "I'm still not sure how-I mean why the onion would be angry at you, Honda-san."

"You believe me?" Tohru said hopefully as she looked at him. "Honto?"

"Come off it!" Kyo sneered as he looked at Yuki, more upset at the look of adoration on Tohru's face. "You really don't believe her- that the onion was mad enough to cause her to be careless and cut her finger! I saw it happen. She was cutting the onion- Shigure called out; she was distracted and cut her finger. End of story!"

Tohru grew teary as she looked at Kyo. "But it was the Negi-san's fault! Honto! I'm not crazy-"

Panicking at the sight of Tohru's tears, Kyo stammered, "Why-You- Hell! I didn't say that you were-ow!"

"Just shut up, baka Neko!" Yuki hissed as he shoved him aside. "He really didn't mean to imply that you were crazy, Honda-san. But-"

"What I want to know is how do you think was it the spring onion's fault, Tohru-kun?" interrupted Shigure as he frowned. "That onion didn't leap off the cutting board like an alien and attack you, did it?"

"Do you really think Negi-san might have an alien in it? That might explain why it happens every spring!" Tohru asked seriously as she turned to look at Shigure. "Ow!"

"My apologies, Tohru-kun," Hatori said as he bit his inner cheek. "You can blame Negi-san for my hurting you, but you have to keep still."

"You believe me!" Tohru exclaimed as she looked up to him gratefully. "I'm so happy!"

"This is insane." Kyo buried his face in his hand. He looked at Tohru with exhausted patience. "Care to tell me why you think that this is the onion's fault?"

"Because it is! It does something to me every first day of spring," Tohru said indignantly as she gave the onion another glare. She looked at Kyo earnestly. "It likes causing fires in the kitchen, upturning the tables, hurting the neighbor or his dog, making horrible phone calls or making me bleed! Or worse- making me cry for hours! That's what it likes to do the best! Negi-san is evil!"

"I see," Shigure said as he bit the inside of his cheek. He saw that Ha-san was greatly involved with dressing Tohru-kun's wound but did not fail to notice the quivering lips of the dragon. He looked at Tohru as he covered his own mouth. "This is quite serious."

"Great! She's yelling at the vegetables now," Kyo muttered as he threw his hands up in the air. He looked at her and sighed. "Listen- onions can't make phone calls, hurt people or whatever thing you think it can do. You just being-"

'How does an onion cause fires?' Yuki thought as he stared at Tohru. "Tohru, I don't think that an onion-"

"You don't believe me," Tohru said in a high pitched voice. Tears started to gather around her eyes, whether from the evil Negi-san or because the boys didn't believe her, she didn't know. "But I'm telling you-"

"Kyo, Yuki, instead of just standing there, upsetting Tohru-kun even more, you two can help me," Hatori interrupted. His voice brooked no argument. "Kyo, you can finish up supper because Tohru won't be able to finish up and Yuki, you can grab the bandages and start unraveling it for me. The bleeding's finally stopped. And Shigure-"

"Yes?" Shigure asked as he looked at his cousin. "What would you like me to do?"

"Stop being a UFO hack and take these towels," Hatori ordered as he gave him a couple of bloody towels. "You wouldn't want Tohru to do extra work with the laundry not for a while at least. Tohru, I'm going to start cleaning your cut now."

"Yes, better me than Tohru," Shigure agreed. "Or the aliens in the spring onion."

"Yes! The onion aliens might make the blood stains harder to remove," Tohru agreed seriously as she looked at Shigure. Tears burst through her eyes again as the sting of the alcohol ran through her fingers. "Ow! I hate Negi-san!"

"Indeed it is a malicious vegetable," Yuki said as he avoided looking at Shigure. He really didn't want to laugh at Tohru so he looked away from her scowling at the onion. "But it remains that the onion still must be cut for whatever it is that Honda-san is cooking."

"Oh no! You mustn't! You have to throw that onion away or else it'll cause more trouble! You need to use another onion!" Tohru exclaimed as she looked at Yuki in horror. "Honto!"

"Oh for crying out loud! It's just an onion!" Kyo grumbled as he glared at Tohru. He grabbed the knife of the cutting board. "I'll chop the damn thing up."

"Kyo-kun! Please don't!" Tohru cried out just as Kyo picked up the onion and started to peel the onion. Like watching a train wreck, Tohru couldn't turn away as she saw the vengeful spring onion work do its work. "Oh no!"

"Yeee-ouch!" Kyo shouted as the knife slipped from the peel and into the pad of his thumb. At first the pain didn't register, but then it did with a vengeance…and the onion went flying out of his hand…and hit the handle of an empty pot on the stove, causing it to flip- knocking into the pot of boiling soup Tohru had on the oven before it went flying again.

"Watch it!" Yuki shouted as he all at once saw the onion hit the handle of the empty pot, causing it to flip and knock over the boiling soup pot, sending the contents spilling over the counter. At the same time, the onion came at him with the speed of a fastball. A sharp pain hit his eye and he saw stars. "Uh!"

As blood gushed from the slice Kyo made on his hand, the knife went flying into the air and landed inches away from Shigure's bare feet as he leapt backwards…and into Tohru and Hatori. "Watch out!"

"Eek!" Tohru strangled out as she felt herself slam into Hatori and then heard a double pop, one in front of her and the other behind her. She felt herself falling towards the general area where Hatori was and screamed, "Oh no, Hatori-san!"

At Shigure's yell, Kyo looked up from his hand to see Shigure changing into a dog and Tohru falling backwards into Hatori's chest and changing him into a seahorse. Ignoring the pain in his hand, he lunged forward to break her fall. "Tohru!"

"Kyo!" Twisting herself away from where she thought was Hatori's clothes were and towards Kyo's voice, Tohru felt sharp jabs of pain run up her cut fingers and then her body as she landed on what was a soft spot on the floor. Then she felt a small poof before landing on the hard floor and knocking her head. "Ow!"

"Kyo! Hatori! Yuki!" Shigure shouted as he saw Tohru sprawled away from Hatori's clothes and not moving. He leaned over her and gently touched her face with his paw. "Tohru!"

"Ow! Tohru!" Kyo choked as he crawled from under Tohru in his cat form. Shaking his head, he looked to seek Shigure touch Tohru's face gently. He winced as he felt a sharp pain go through his paw. "Ow-damn, that hurts. Is she all right?"

"Shigure, get me out from under these clothes!" Hatori choked out. "I need water!"

"Ah! Harii!" Shigure wailed as he quickly nosed through Hatori's clothes to look for him. At his friend's flailing form, he gently grabbed him between his teeth and raced towards the bathroom.

"What happened?" Yuki asked as he slowly opened his eyes. He felt a sharp pain surround his left eye and gingerly touched it as he sat up. He looked around to see Tohru sprawled on a pile of clothes and the stupid Neko patting her face with a bloody paw. "Tohru! What happened?"

"She's not waking up!" Kyo shouted as he looked at the damn Rat in panic. "Help me get her up! We have to get Hatori! And she's bleeding again!"

"Right," Yuki said as he crawled towards Tohru. He put his hand on her face. "She's all right- where's Shigure and Hatori?"

"We're right here," Shigure said as he entered the kitchen in his naked human form with Hatori right behind him.

"Put on some clothes damn it!" Kyo yelled as he changed into his human form. "Ow!"

"Kyo, let me see your hand," Hatori ordered as he knelt in front of his younger cousin and started to reach for his hand. "That was a bad cut you got."

"No!" Kyo yanked his hand away and scooted away from his cousin. "You can see it after we put on some clothes and after you see to Tohru!"

"I'll see to his wound," Shigure said as he slipped into his yukata. He picked up a clean towel from the counter. "Harii, do try to cover yourself before she wakes up, you really don't want her to go into shock while treating her. And Yuki-what happened to your eye and what's that burning smell?"

Shigure turned to see wafts of black smoke coming out from the small broiler. His eyes widened as he realized, "Oh no! The fish!"

Immediately, he turned off the broiler and used the towel in his hand to pull out a charcoaled and still smoking mess that was once a tasty fish. Tears started rolling down his eyes at the savage loss of a wonderful meal. His eyes fell on the onion on the floor, near Yuki's feet. Shigure looked at Yuki and Kyo as they slowly stood up. "Step carefully, Yuki. The onion is right next to your feet."

Looking down, Yuki stepped carefully away from the onion. Likewise, Kyo inched away from the onion and moved closer to Shigure. Both boys breathed easier the father they were from the onion. Light-headed, Kyo fell to his knees. "Oh, man. I can't take this. I feel weak."

"That was a horrible experience," Yuki agreed tiredly. He looked over to Hatori and Tohru. "Is she all right?"

"She's just got a bump on her head and I've just managed to stop the bleeding on her hand again," Hatori said as he looked at Yuki. He looked at Kyo as he and the younger boy stood up. "I'll see to your wound as soon as I put my pants on. Yuki, you and Shigure get Tohru off the floor and take her to her room."

"Take your time, I think the blood crusted over," Kyo said as he looked at his hand carefully. "I need to get dressed."

"And I need to look at it," Hatori insisted as he took Kyo's hand. He carefully peeled away the towel and winced. "You might need stitches."

"That was a beautiful fish," Shigure sniffed as he put the entire mess into the sink. He turned to look at Yuki. "Now, how are we supposed to- what on earth happened to your eye?"

"Didn't you ask me that before?" Yuki grumbled as he looked at Shigure with his good eye. He knelt down by Tohru's head.

"I think I was interrupted by the burning fish," Shigure retorted as he got to his own knees. "You're really going to have one heck of a shiner. Better put some ice on it."

"After we get her to bed," Yuki said as he pulled the hair away from Tohru's face. "And to answer, the onion was what happened. It flew at me after it knocked over the soup. I think she's waking up…Honda-san?"

Hearing voices, Tohru moaned as she opened her eyes and found herself on her back. She saw Yuki's and Shigure's faces looking over her concerned. She blinked. "Sohma-kun? Shigure-san? What- what happened?"

"It was a domino effect: I fell of you, you fell on Hatori and Kyo," Shigure answered cheerfully. He helped her sit up as she put her hand on her head. "How do you feel?"

"My head-my head hurts," Tohru admitted as she looked at Shigure and started to give him a reassuring smile until she caught a movement over Shigure's shoulder and her eyes widened. She slapped a hand over her eyes. "Eeeeep! Ow! Hatori-san-"

Whirling, Shigure froze as he saw Hatori and Kyo frozen at Tohru's shriek. His cousins were still naked; with Hatori carefully still holding Kyo's wounded hand. And both apparently had given Tohru a full frontal. His perverted sense of humor shoved its way through. "Why Kyo! You've actually grown some! Your rod is now as big as Hatori's!"

"Oh Hell!" Kyo shouted, red faced as he raced out of the kitchen. "Oh HELL!"

"Shigure!" Hatori stammered as he jumped around to see Tohru flip herself away from looking at them and cry out in pain as she slapped her hands over her eyes. Red-faced, he knelt to quickly retrieve his pants and strode out the kitchen with Shigure's maniacal chasing after him.

"Ow!" Shigure said as he grabbed his head. He looked at Yuki unrepentantly. "Yes, yes, I know, behave. You didn't have to hit me, you know they're going to hurt me later…"

"Oh, shut up." Putting a hand over his face, Yuki didn't know whether he should laugh or comfort Tohru. He knelt down next to Tohru. "Oh dear. Tohru, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Tohru said meekly. "Is it all right to turn over now?"

"They've gone from the room, Honda-san," Yuki said quietly. He choked back a cough. "How are you feeling?"

"I think my hand still hurts," Tohru said as she slowly stood over and with Yuki and Shigure's help. She looked around her and gave a sigh of relief that the kitchen was somewhat intact. She winced as she saw the mess on the oven and smelled the burning remains of something. She looked at Yuki. "Now do you believe me? Didn't I tell you it was an evil Negi-san? That we should try and throw it away instead of using it?"

"Evil is not the word that I would call that spring onion," Shigure said as he involuntarily looked at the still onion. "I would use some other words for it. Is that all? Can we get rid of it now?"

"I think we'd better," Kyo said as he entered the kitchen, red-faced, fully dressed and holding a towel around his hand. He looked down at the onion and glared at it before looking at Tohru and meeting her eyes. "Hatori answered the phone just now. Your grandfather called."

"My grandfather?" Tohru echoed blankly. "My grandfather just called?"

"Yes, he did," Hatori said as he entered the room. Looking as collected as he could, considering he was only in his pants. "He wants you to come over to the house in two days and discuss your future." He looked at Shigure briefly. "He also said that he was having a lawyer present."

"My future?" Tohru repeated as she looked at Hatori then at the onion near her feet. Her heart started racing. "My future? A lawyer?"

"What the Hell does he mean that he's going to have a lawyer present?" Kyo yelped. "And what does he mean about her future?"

"Oh, dear," Shigure said as he looked at the onion. "And usually a lawyer present means some form of legalities should be involved. Tohru was right, that is an evil onion."

"Legalities?" Kyo echoed as he stared at the onion with a pale face. He swung his gaze from the onion to Shigure then Hatori. "As in guardianship?"

"Guardianship?" Tohru squeaked as she looked at Hatori. "My guardianship?"

"He didn't say," Hatori answered as he looked at Tohru. He stood in front of her and took her ice cold hands into his. "We only know that he wants to see you. It'll be all right, don't make yourself sick by worrying. Now let me take you to bed, that was a nasty fall you had."

Shigure sighed quietly, "Yes, let me do the worrying."

"Devil Incarnate is what that onion is," Yuki said as he put his hand on his forehead. He looked at Kyo and Shigure. "We have to get rid of it. And she's not going alone to see her grandfather."

"No shit, Sherlock," Kyo muttered as he stared at Hatori calming Tohru down. Jealousy gnawed at him as he saw her smile at his older cousin. "There ain't no way that I'm gonna touch that damn thing now or let her go into that house of piranhas alone."

"Oh, okay, Hatori-san," Tohru said meekly as she kept her head down. She caught looked at the evil onion and sighed. She bowed low to the onion. "I apologize for the trouble I caused you, Negi-san. May I see you again next year."

As everyone looked at her bowed head incredulously, Hatori sighed and did the same. "I apologize for the trouble we have caused you, Negi-san. May we meet again next year." He put his hand on Tohru's shoulder. "Now let's go upstairs."

"You've got to be kidding me," Kyo said after a moment. "She apologized to- that's just-"

"After all that's happened in this kitchen, do you really want to say anything about the power of Negi-san," Shigure asked as he looked at Kyo. "And it had better be word for word just in case. Tohru did warn us about Negi-san."

Kyo stared at Shigure then looked at the onion. Cold sweat went down his back. "I apologize for the trouble we caused you, Negi-san. May we meet again next year."

As Yuki and Shigure did the same apology, Kyo tapped his foot impatiently. "We gotta plan something."

"Yes, but first thing is first," Shigure said calmly as he started out the kitchen. He waited until his younger cousins looked at him. "We must order some food. I'm starving! And I'll order something romantic for Hatori and Tohru-kun."

As Shigure disappeared, Yuki started after him. "Of all the stupid things-" He stopped when he saw a bandaged hand on his arm. He looked to see the stupid neko hold on to him. "What?"

Red-faced, Kyo looked at his nemesis. "You'd better hit him twice as hard. I won't be able to do it for a while."


	2. Comfort Sohma Style

Chapter 2: Comfort Sohma Style

Biting her lip as she pulled back the covers of her bed, Tohru thought furiously, 'What could Grandpa want? Did I do something? Is this just something that Negi-san made? What am I going to do? What else could go wrong? My future-what did he mean about my future-'

"I can hear your thoughts racing, Tohru-kun," called out a voice.

Startled, Tohru turned to see Hatori…standing impatiently with his back facing her. Blushing furiously, she couldn't help but notice that he had, what Uo-chan often liked to admire in guys, a very fine ass. 'And a very nice piece in front' whispered a thought through her head. Tohru closed her eyes tightly and admonished herself for looking down there. Except when she did, the image of Kyo and Hatori…she let out a small whimper as she tried to block the image.

"Tohru-kun? Are you all right?" Hatori asked in alarm as he swung around. He blinked as he saw the image of Tohru squeezing her head between her hands as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her cheeks were a furious shade of red. He immediately went to her and put his hands over hers, pulling them away gently. "I thought I told you to not worry, Tohru-kun. It'll be all right."

"No, if this happens- it won't ever be all right again," Tohru said as she shook her head even more to get rid of the image of Hatori-san and Kyo-kun from her head. She felt her ears start to burn. "It won't be the same any more. It can't be. It just can't."

"Yes, it will, Tohru," Hatori said gently. He watched as Tohru shook her head vigorously. He crooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face towards his. A fleeting smile passed his lips as he saw her still scrunched face. If she keeps this up, she would definitely put herself into a state. "Yes, it will. You have nothing to worry about. You'll get past this- we all will. Your grandfather didn't sound like he was going to do any planning for your future against your will."

"My grandfather?" Tohru opened her eyes and looked at him blankly. Then she remembered with a vengeance. Good heavens, she was so busy trying to not lust after Hatori she forgot about Grandpa! "Grandpa! Tomorrow! What am I going to do? My future! Grandpa!"

"Tohru-kun, it will be all right." His brows furrowed in concentration as Hatori tried to remember the brief conversation. "He sounded very nice; he wanted to know how you were doing even before he told me about wanting you to come over."

"Well, Grandpa is a very nice man," Tohru said tentatively as she looked straight into Hatori's dark eyes. She forced herself to smile gaily. He had such kind and beautiful eyes. "He wouldn't take me away from here, right? Because he knew that I would be happier here, right?"

"I'm sure that he knows that you're happy here," Hatori affirmed as he let his finger pull the hair away from her face. Her attempt at a carefree smile wasn't fooling anyone. "And I'm sure that nothing will happen."

"But he wants to discuss my guardianship," Tohru protested as tears started to come to her eyes. "He's going to have a lawyer there-"

"No, he didn't say that he as going to discuss your guardianship," Hatori corrected as he put a finger on her soft lips. At her stunned look, he quickly removed it from her mouth. "Your grandfather said that he was only going to have a lawyer present not that he was going to do something about your guardianship. That was Kyo's idea. And I don't want to guess what he wants a lawyer there for- it's no use making yourself sick over something that might just turn out to be nothing. Understand?"

Her eyes wide and lips tingling, Tohru nodded her head slowly. 'Oh my, his finger was so warm.' "Hatori-san-"

Hatori noted her expression and sighed softly. Her cheeks were redder than before. The girl was still worried. 'Or she could be attracted to you' whispered an unspoken thought. He severely squashed the errant thought. Tohru was a patient that needed care. "I sincerely doubt that you'll be going alone to your grandfather's. I can drive you and Shigure there and I think that Yuki and Kyo would like to go as well."

"Shigure wants to come? And Kyo and Yuki?" Tohru blinked. "But I can't ask you to drive me or to come- you're all so busy with-"

"I know that they would want to introduce themselves to your grandfather, just to be polite," Hatori said patiently as he fluffed her pillow. 'And, I think, to make sure that you come back safely. Plus the three of them will be climbing the walls if you insist that they stay home,' he added mentally as he patted the bed for her to get in. As she complied, he sat down beside her and added, "And I don't know if you know this, but Shigure was once a lawyer before he started writing full time."

"Shigure was a lawyer?" Tohru blinked as she sat on the bed. "Honto? He was once a lawyer?"

"Honto," Hatori said with a small smile. She looked like a small, wide-eyed child wanting to be reassured against the monsters of the night. "He was very good but with his disposition, well, you've seen what he does to his editor. And he found out that writing those novels of his-"

"Were a lot more fun than being around those dusty tomes anyway," Shigure added as he stood leaning against the door way. Smiling, he came into Tohru's room. "Here I am to gather the dirty dishes and what do I find? You letting out the ancient bones I buried in my closet, Haa-san. And just what are you doing on the bed with my little flower? About to steal a good-night kiss from her, are you?"

"Oh, no! Hatori-san wasn't- he didn't," Tohru started to babble as she looked from Shigure to Hatori and then back again. Her face flushed alarmingly as she held a death grip on her covers. She winced at the pain radiating from her hurt fingers. "Hatori-san-he-well- he was-he-"

"Don't pay attention to the stupid Dog, Tohru. He was using his poor humor on you when he knows that he shouldn't right now," Hatori said as he calmly rose from Tohru's side. He carefully kept his face bland as looked at Shigure slightly. He put his hands on top of Tohru's and gently eased her death grip on the covers. "Let go of the covers, Tohru. You're hurting you hand even more. He really has no idea of what he's saying, Tohru-kun. It was amazing that he even made a decent living as a lawyer."

"I was a very good lawyer. I just hated the daily work." Recognizing the killing look in his cousin's eye and the distressed look on Tohru's face, Shigure sighed. He was in for it when Harii got with him alone. Oh, well. He might as well be hung for everything if he was going to be scolded. He bumped his cousin over as he flopped next to Tohru on her bed. "So you pried out of Harii that I was once a lawyer. Good for you! You're becoming nosy!"

"Oh no! Nononono! I didn't mean to pry! I really didn't!" Tohru started to babble in alarm as she looked at Shigure. "Honto! Hatori-san was just-"

Recognizing the signs of Tohru getting worked up again; Hatori gave into the rare urge and slapped his cousin on the back of his head. "Stop teasing her like that."

"Ow! That hurt!" Shigure exclaimed as he grabbed his head. He eyed his cousin in stunned amazement. Hatori hadn't hit him since high school. "You hit me!"

"You deserved it," Hatori said calmly as he crossed his arms. "You were upsetting Tohru-kun. Now you calm her-"

"And Hatori-san said that you were a lawyer, he just told me like that," Tohru continued to babble. "It's not that he was telling me a deep dark secret of yours and that I had intentionally asked him on what you did because that's really not my business on what you do or did before I knew you were a writer-"

"Gladly. Tohru-kun, I'm going to calm you down," Shigure said as he started to lean towards her face. Then he felt a hand on his should and then felt his ass lad hard on the floor. "Huh?"

"On second thought, she's better off without you calming her down," Hatori said as he put an arm around Tohru's shoulder. "It's all right, he was just teasing you again, Tohru-kun."

"Eh? Eh? What happened?" Tohru yelped as she looked down at Shigure in alarm. "Did I kick you off the bed? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to! It was an accident-"

"He only slipped off the bed, Tohru-kun," Hatori said as he picked up Shigure off the floor and started to dust his cousin off hard. "Your covers are satin and slippery."

"Ne, Tohru-kun, I'm not really angry," Shigure smiled as he plopped himself by her side again. He leaned over and patted her cheek. "And I was going to tell you myself that I was a lawyer and that I wanted to go with you. In fact, I think it was about time for me to meet your grandfather face-to-face. After all, it's only been about three months since you've officially moved here and it would only be polite to let him know what kind of people his granddaughter is living with."

"Oh, that's good to know." Relief filled Tohru as she smiled tentatively at Shigure. "I'll call Grandpa tomorrow to tell him that you're coming with us."

Shigure frowned slightly. He looked at his cousin slyly. "Us? As in Harii is coming too?"

"Hai!" Tohru said cheerfully. She smiled to let him know it was all right. "He said that Yuki and Kyo are probably coming too because you would all want to meet with Grandpa to be polite."

"Well, isn't it grand to be predictable," Shigure muttered as he glanced up at Hatori. Shaking his head, he smiled. "Well, then, I guess it's all settled. And all of us will go and meet your grandfather and then we'll all come home. I promise. Down to the last man. And if he tries to take you, why we'll know there's safety in numbers-ow! My foot!"

"You couldn't just quit while you were ahead," Hatori mumbled as he got off of Shigure's foot. "Now, Tohru-kun-"

"Hatori-san? He didn't sound like he would do that? Did he?" Tohru asked in alarm. She gripped at her blanket again, barely noticing the pain in her hand. "Do you really think that there's nothing for me to be worried about? He didn't sound-"

"What is this? You're trusting Harii's word over mine?" Shigure teased as he looked at Tohru's bowed head. "I'm so hurt! To think that my little flower doesn't trust me! Oh the pain!"

Tohru's head came up like a shot, her eyes wide. "Oh no, Shigure-san! That's not it! It's not at all! I trust you but- I just- it's just that-"

"And who would trust you, you worthless Dog?" Kyo demanded as he strode into Tohru's room and yanked his older cousin off the bed. He glared at Shigure and hauled him up by front of his yukata with his good hand. "And what are you doing on her bed, you pervert? Get off!"

"Since Hatori answered the phone and you didn't," Yuki said at the same time. He followed Kyo in, just behind a step. "She just wants to know if he sounded mad or suspicious." He cracked his knuckles as he looked at Shigure. "And what were you doing on her bed?"

"Harii sat down there first," Shigure protested as he threw up his hands and his cousin to protect himself from the beating he could see in their eyes.

Kyo and Yuki looked at each other then at Hatori then at Shigure. Yuki simply shrugged. "He's Tohru's doctor."

"And he's not a total pervert like you," Kyo added as he gave Shigure a small shake. He held Shigure firmly as he forced him to face the Rat.

"Oh, help!" Shigure winced as he got ready for Yuki's fist. "Yuki's going to hit me!"

"Oh no, oh no," Tohru blinked as she saw Kyo holding Shigure-san and Yuki getting ready to hit him. Tears started to form around her eyes. "But Shigure-san is-Oh, I mean, Kyo-kun I- no, I mean Sohma-kun-oh-"

"If you boys are going to beat him, I suggest that you do it in the other room," Hatori said as he looked at the three. "Tohru doesn't need to be more upset than she is right now."

Alarmed, the three Sohmas looked at the small figure on the bed. Tohru was gripping her covers as if they were a lifeline. Kyo immediately let go of Shigure, dropping him heavily on the floor. "Look! Don't you start crying now! We were just going to give him one good-"

"This is my all fault! Oh no! Oh Nononono!" Tohru cried as she looked at Kyo with wide eyes. "I shouldn't have let Shigure-san sit on my bed! Then he wouldn't have fallen off and gotten back on it! And then you and Sohma-kun wouldn't have to hit Shigure-san! And-"

"Honda-san, we weren't really going to hit him," Yuki interrupted as he looked at Kyo and desperately thought of a quick lie. "We were just giving him a warning about sitting on your bed like that-"

"That'd be one painful warning you two were about to give me," Shigure said as he got up off the floor. He felt Yuki step hard on his foot. "But then it was going to be only a warning."

"You were going to hurt Shigure-san for a warning," Tohru sniffed as she looked at Kyo and Yuki. "Really?"

"They wouldn't have hurt me that much and if they did, you'd have to come to my room and help me get better," Shigure said as he waved away her concern then gulped as he realized what his run-away mouth said. He felt the killing glares of not just his younger cousins, but the death stare of Hatori. "But it's all good that they didn't give me such a violent warning."

"But-but a beating is just a warning?" Tohru asked doubtfully.

"Yeah! It was just going to be a warning," Kyo agreed desperately. "Besides-"

"Besides this all is Negi-san's fault," Hatori said calmly as he crossed his arms. He ignored the stares his cousins were giving him. "You know how much trouble that Negi-san likes to cause you every spring."

"Yes, that's true," Tohru agreed as she scowled at her hand. She sniffed. "Negi-san does like to do that. I wouldn't put it past Negi-san to stir trouble in this happy home."

"This is a happy home?" Kyo goggled as he looked at her. When she looked at him with startled eyes, he cleared his throat quickly. He coughed, "Yes, of course this is a happy home. So, of course, Negi-san would want to disturb us."

"So, you can see that Negi-san is still trying to disrupt us because it-it knows how happy we are to be here," Yuki added with a straight face. He refused to look at Shigure or Hatori or Kyo. "You of all people should know how vengeful that Negi-san is."

"Hai, Negi-san is very vengeful," Tohru agreed with a nod. Then she blinked as a thought came to her. "Ano- Where is Negi-san, Sohma-kun?"

With mock innocence, Kyo and Yuki looked at Shigure. Yuki cleared his throat. "Shigure wants to ask you about that."

"Oh, yeah," Kyo snorted as he looked at Shigure with unholy glee. "Shigure wanted to know something about Negi-san."

"Oh?" Tohru blinked as she looked at Shigure curiously. Amused, Hatori saw Shigure's face grow redder. "Shigure-san?"

Shigure coughed and cleared his throat. "Well, we sort of left Negi-san there- in the kitchen. On the floor. After we left apologizing to it. We weren't sure if there was a ritual or ceremony to- ah- dispose of Negi-san."

"Oh, there isn't a ritual or ceremony, really," Tohru said as she shook her head. "Negi-san just needs to be put in a blessed hand-made red, white and brown omamori that has dried pink rose petals and some pine nuts. Then I make my way down to the river or to the wooded area as soon as it nears noon. It all depends on what kind of weather it is."

"I don't think I want to know about this anymore," Kyo muttered as he buried his face in his hand. "Ow!"

"You'd better watch out for that hand or else it'll never heal, Kyo," Hatori warned.

"It-it all depends on what kind of weather?" Yuki asked faintly as he looked at her. He restrained from looking at his cousins. He cleared his throat. "Does it matter?"

"And why do you throw it at noon?" Hatori asked curiously. He ignored the glanced from his cousins. "Is there a reason?"

"Oh, yes," Tohru nodded empathically. "On rainy days, Negi-san prefers to be thrown in a wooded area and on sunny days, the river." She looked at Hatori. "And noon because well, it's the brightest part of the day. Nothing really bad happens at noon." She looked down at her hands. "Bad and horrible things always happen in the morning or in the evening or a night. Things like car accidents."

"Ano- about the weather…why not the other way around?" Shigure asked quickly. He was becoming fascinated by this non-ritual. "One would think that on rainy days, the river and on sunny days the woods."

"I really don't know," Tohru shrugged as she thought about it. She frowned a little. "I think it's just because Negi-san likes to be contrary."

"I see," Yuki mused as he covered his mouth. She looked so serious. "Well-"

"This is just too much!" Kyo shouted as he gripped his hair in frustration. He glared at Tohru. "And you don't call this a ritual? Where the hell are we supposed to find that charm bag? Are we supposed to make it? And why the hell do we need to put rose petals and pine nuts?"

"But you don't need to make an omamori," Tohru blinked as she looked at Kyo. "I made one already. It's in my desk. In the top drawer." She turned red as the four Sohmas stared at her. "I knew that I was going to get hurt by Negi-san soon, so I got one ready. Just in case."

"Very efficient," Hatori commented as he took out the charm bag from her desk. He gave it to Shigure. "Here, now, you can throw it out, Shigure. Since you're the head of this happy home." He looked at Tohru. "See, now you don't have to worry about Negi-san anymore."

"We'll know that you'll do a great job," Kyo said with a smirk. "And be sure to throw Negi-san really hard."

"We'll be rooting for you," Yuki added as he looked at his older cousin with a bland smile.

"Thank so you for the honor," Shigure said sarcastically. He turned to look at Tohru who looked at him worriedly. "Well, now, don't worry about Negi-san and me. But I am fascinated about why you chose this type of omamori and the things you put in it-"

"I just want to know how long this insanity with that damn onion has been going," Kyo interrupted as he looked expectantly at Tohru.

"Not now," Hatori said as he put his hand on Shigure's shoulder. He nodded for the boys to leave. "You can ask her tomorrow. Tohru-kun needs her rest and you three excited her enough for today."

"But Harii! I haven't even yet begun to excite her," Shigure protested as he looked over Hatori's shoulder. He felt the hair on the back of his nape start to stand. He slowly turned back and saw his younger cousins emit an aura of danger. "Ah- Well, now, boys…that's not exactly what I was meaning-eep!"

Kyo grabbed Shigure's arm with his good hand. "Night! We'll see you in the morning! Come on you perverted Dog!"

"Yes, let's go and let Honda-kun to her rest," Yuki said as he gripped Shigure's other arm painfully. "Good-night, Honda-san."

"Good-night, Tohru," Shigure called out. "And if you don't see me, you'll know it's because Negi-san has done his wrathful anger again!"

"Oh no, Shigure-san!" Alarmed, Tohru started to get out of bed. She stopped when Hatori blocked her way. "Hatori-san! Shigure-san-"

"Was only kidding," Hatori said firmly. He brought his face close to hers. "Now get some rest. We've discussed this: You need to heal that hand properly so that you can do your chores and get back to work soon. If you keep using it, it will not heal and you will have to wait twice as long. Now stay in bed."

"Yes, Hatori-san," Tohru said meekly as she stared into his intense eyes. Feeling breathless, she felt herself slip down into her bed again.

"Now, I'll see you in the morning," Hatori said after a minute. He tucked her in and felt his hand move over to her face. Her eyes were wide as the blankets covered half her face. By its own volition, his finger traced her temple. "Don't worry and have pleasant dreams. Everything will be all right. You'll see. Good-night, Tohru-kun."

"Good night, Hatori-san," Tohru said under the covers. "Hatori-san? Will-will you are leaving?"

"I'll be sleeping over tonight," Hatori answered. He gave her a wry smile. "If I go, who knows what Kyo will do to his hand? Getting seven stitches isn't too bad but it also isn't something to be taken too lightly."

Tohru smiled under the covers. "I'm glad that you're staying over then, Hatori-san."

"I am too," Hatori said after a moment. "Do you want me to stay with you? It will be no trouble at all."

The image of Hatori getting into the bed beside her unexpectedly flashed through her mind. 'Naughty, Tohru, naughty.' Tohru bit her lip. She felt her cheeks get red so she lifted the covers even higher. "No, I'll be all right, but thank you so much for thinking about me."

"It's no trouble at all," Hatori said as he walked towards the door, vaguely disappointed that she didn't want him to stay at her side. He reached for the lights. "Good-night, Tohru-kun. And don't worry, everything will be all right."

"Good night, Hatori-san," Tohru said softly. She lowered the blanket and sighed. She really wished Negi-san would have picked a better time to force her imagination to run wild. She did not need to have these imaginings of Hatori while worrying about what her grandfather wanted.


	3. Morning Activities

Chapter 3: Morning Activities

"Hmm, I wonder if it's too early to come over…of course it's not! It's only Sunday after all!" mused a tall, silvery haired man as he headed towards the quiet house. He stopped as he spied a familiar looking car outside the residence. Breaking into a huge smile, he ran towards the car. "Well! If Hatori is here already then it must not be early!"

"Konnichiwa everyone," he practically sang as he knocked smartly on the door but when he heard no answering footsteps, he impatiently slid open the door. "Hello? Anyone home?"

"Hello? Anyone home? Ollie-Ollie snake free! It's me! I'm here!" Exasperated that no one was answering him, the man huffed as he walked towards Shigure's study but paused when he didn't even find his friend in there. He heard some scraping noises upstairs, but after a moment there was silence. He started to go upstairs but hesitated. The last time he went upstairs uninvited and opening doors at random, he opened Yuki's door while his younger brother was in the middle of changing his clothes. Seeing his brother half naked was not so bad, but the severe beating he received for it was. Why, he couldn't hold a needle properly for days!

Pondering at what to do, he was suddenly hit with a brilliant idea. At the top of his lungs, he shouted, "Well since no one's here I guess I'm free to go upstairs and maybe find Tohru-kun's room and ask her where my darling brother is! And maybe I can see what kind of frilly clothes she likes to model for darling Yuki!"

Perking his ears, Ayame snickered to himself as he heard a couple of indistinct yelps. "Oh Tohru-kun! Are you still in bed sleepy head? Do you know where Shii-chan is? Can you help me find him? Or would you rather go out for a decadent breakfast with me? Oh Tohru-kun, are you hiding out with Harii? Are you still in bed? Should I join you?"

"Aya! You're here! I'll run to you if you give me a second!" Ayame heard Shigure sing out, his voice held deep and dark promises. He grinned as Shigure started their little game. "I'll be down and running towards you as soon as I can! I have so much to tell you."

"And I'll be waiting breathlessly for you, Gure!" Ayame sang back. "I shall count the seconds until you arrive! But let us join together at dearest Tohru-kun's room-"

"You keep away from her!" shouted out a muffled voice. Ayame lifted an eyebrow. That might have been Yuki but he wasn't sure. According to Shigure, Yuki was hardly coherent in the morning. Maybe that was Harii? Shrugging, Ayame opened his mouth again when he heard a door slam open and along with a shout.

"You'll keep the hell out of her room, you damn pervert! Ow!" called out a loud and furious voice. Ayame perked up his ears. Now there was Kyokon-kichi. So far it was Shigure and Kyo and maybe that was Yuki...or was it Hatori? He couldn't remember. Does Hatori yell? Anyway, he was still missing a voice and Tohru-

"Ayame-san! Ayame-san! Ow! Oh no! Mom!" called out Tohru. Ayame blinked at the yelps of pain a crash and more yelps. He felt himself move towards the stairs. "Mom! I'm so sorry! You're here! I'll be out-Ow! In a minute! Ow!"

"Tohru-kun!" Ayame heard as well as a stampede of feet and doors flinging open. He blinked when he heard Hatori's deep voice laced with panic. "Tohru-kun, what's wrong? What's-"

"Oh! Hatori-san! Be careful!" Ayame heard Tohru half-sob/shriek. He also heard a lot of cursing and bodies falling to the ground. "I knocked over Mom's picture! And it flipped and it hit the corner of the desk and knocked down the glass of water that you gave me in the night and now there's glass and water all over the place and Ayame-san is here and I haven't gotten breakfast made and Mom is lying on the floor with the broken glass and -"

"Shhh, I'll be all right, Tohru-kun. I'll get your mother and then we'll see that hand of yours if you'll stop waving it around," Hatori said calmly. "See? I've got your mother right here now be a good girl and let me see your hand, Tohru-kun…let me see-"

Ayame's eyebrows rose higher and higher as he heard Hatori's tone of voice. He hadn't heard Hatori speak that tenderly to anyone since Kana. 'Well, well! Seems like Harii has some affection for dear Tohru! Now what to do? What to do?'

Going up the smaller flight of stairs quickly, Ayame strained his ears to hear what Hatori was saying but instead heard doors slam open and more stampeding of feet. 'Those people have no sense of romantic timing at all! What is today's romantic youth coming to?'

"Honda-kun, are you all right? Do you want me to get you anything?" Yuki demanded; his voice devoid of his usual sleep stupor. "Hatori! What are you doing THERE?"

'Oh my! Yuki sounds awake!' thought Ayame as he grinned when he reached the corner. 'And the plot shall thicken-'

"Hey! What'd you do to yourself?" Kyo's voice filled with near panic and demand. "Did you open your- what the hell is Hatori doing on your bed?"

Ayame's eyes nearly popped out of his head. 'Hatori's on Tohru's bed?'

"Hatori! You'd better get off of there!" Kyo snarled. "I never thought you'd be like Shigure of all people-"

Ayame's jaw nearly dropped to the ground when he heard Yuki snarl at Hatori. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

"No Kyo-kun! Sohma-kun! Stay back!" Ayame heard Tohru shriek. "There's glass everywhere! Mom fell on the floor but Hatori-san picked her up while he was on my bed and-Ow!"

"I told you to not do that!" Hatori scolded mildly. "Will you boys calm down! If you can't behave you're going to get Tohru-kun upset-"

Ayame stood still as he strained to hear what was going on, but all he heard was Tohru practically wailing. "Oh no! I'm not upset! Really I'm not! I'm not- I'm not! Honest! I'm just so stupid! I knocked Mom down and Hatori-san had to get on my bed and you boys are upset-"

"Calm down! We're not that upset!" Kyo scolded brusquely. "You're upset!"

"I'm not upset! I'm not upset!" Tohru practically wailed. "It's just that-It's just that-Oh where do I start? It's just that-"

"Honda-kun? We just want to know if you are all right, Honda-kun? What happened?" Yuki asked in a gentle but firm voice.

Ayame froze as he started to analyze that tone of voice from his brother. That was a tone he had never heard before! Was she really becoming the object of his brother's romantic attentions? And what about Harii? 'What to do? What to do?'

"I heard Ayame-san call out and when I tried to get up off the bed I knocked the glass of water and it rolled and knocked Mom down and I panicked and hit my hand against the headboard and I didn't do anything because I woke up so late that I didn't make any breakfast yet and Hatori-san picked Mom up and," Tohru practically sobbed. Then she let out a tiny shriek. Ayame's eyebrows shot up. "Ow! I'm so sorry, Hatori-san, but it hurts! It hurts!"

"Damn it Hatori! You're hurting her!" Kyo shouted angrily.

"Hatori! Stop!" Yuki shouted at the same time. "You're hurting her!"

"I would appreciate it if you boys would calm down!" Hatori said calmly. Ayame blinked at his tone. Hatori was close to a snarling at the boys. "You're not helping."

"It's all right, Tohru-kun. I'm sorry- I didn't mean to pull at your bandage so roughly. Just let me see." Ayame heard Hatori's crooning voice. "Just let me see. That's a good girl."

Ayame winced as he heard Tohru whimper slightly. "It hurts Hatori-san."

"Hatori! Will you do something? She's hurting!" Kyo nearly yelped. "Give her something! You're a doctor!"

"Yes, help her Hatori! She's hurting very badly!" Yuki said urgently. "She seems to have bled through her bandages!"

"Boys, don't make me throw you out of this room," Hatori said calmly.

Ayame's eyebrows shot up in alarm. He had never heard that amount of urgency in his brother's voice before either! Or hear him ask for help for someone else! This maybe really serious! And it needs further investigation.

"What on earth is going on? Why does Tohru-kun have bandages?" Ayame muttered as he reached the top of the second, longer staircase. He saw Shigure rush into the room that had the most noise coming out from it, saying, "What are you boys just standing around here like that?" He heard Shigure gasp in a scandalized tone, "Tohru-kun? Hari! What ARE you doing in bed with my precious flower! What happened, my little flower? Are you having a morning party in here? Did you have a sleep over? And I wasn't invited? Oh, I feel so left out! Let me on the bed too! Ow!"

Ayame peeked around the corner in time to see Kyo yelp as he smacked Shigure on the head with his bandaged hand. Without anyone knowing he was there, Ayame did something uncharacteristic of himself. He sneaked towards Tohru's door and remained quiet to watch what was going on. His eyes widened as he saw Hatori sitting next to Tohru on her bed, and holding her bandaged hand very close to his heart! Her head was down as she gripped her wet blankets. Hatori's robes gaped open, showing the nice expanse of his chest. If he didn't know any better, it would seem that Hatori and Tohru had just awaked from a very intimate encounter! 'But then, Harii wouldn't do that to our little Tohru! And that's a pity! What to do, what to do!'

Giving a silent sigh, Ayame focused his attention to the others in the room. At the foot of her bed, his brother, Kyo and Shigure stood facing her with most of their backs towards him.

From what Ayame could tell, Yuki was a total mess, hair sticking out any which way and still in his lovely silk pajamas, ones that he designed but Yuki had no way of knowing that it was his elder brother that designed them. Kyo was still in his pajamas as well, but it looked like he only flung on his top and mismatched the buttons. And Shigure, well! He looked like he was pulling an all nighter like he did when he did when they were in school! My, what was going on here?

"You shut up! Ow!" Kyo shouted as he smacked Shigure on the head. He gripped the wrist of his bandaged hand. "Ow!"

"Yes, do be quiet!" Yuki scolded as he slapped the baka inu upside the head without looking at him. "Unlike you, Hatori doesn't have perverted thoughts!"

"Shigure-san! Ow!" Tohru cried out as she tried to wave her hand. "Please! Be careful where you step! Ow!"

"Tohru-kun, I told you to stay still. Kyo- Be careful with your hand," Hatori said immediately without looking around or up from Tohru's bandaged hand. "I'll change the bandages as soon as I finish looking at Tohru-kun's hand."

Shigure touched his head dramatically. "I-I'm feeling a bit faint! I think I need Harii's medical attention! Tohru-kun- I think I need to lay my head down on your lap-"

Ayame saw Hatori give Shigure an irritated glance before he buried his face in his hand. "I don't believe this. Shigure- Go away- Tohru-kun-"

"Like hell you will!" Kyo snarled as he smacked the stupid Dog on the side of his head again. He hissed at the pain. "Damn, that hurt."

"You'll do no such thing," Yuki said furiously as he punched Shigure on the chin without looking at him. "You keep away from her!"

"Ah!" Tohru whimpered as Shigure landed against her bed, jostling it and Hatori's hands. Tears formed around her hard shut eyes.

"Tohru! I'm sorry! Are you?" Hatori gritted out as his hand accidentally squeezed her fingers in automatic reflex. He felt a vein popping out from his head when he saw her squeeze her eyes shut. " Shigure-"

Despite the pain on his head and chin, Shigure immediately looked up at Tohru's cry of pain. "Tohru-kun, are you all right?"

"Hey! You okay?" Kyo yelped as he grabbed Shigure and pulled him away from the bed.

"Honda-san!" Yuki shouted in a horrified voice. "I'm so sorry-I didn't mean to-"

"Oh no! It's-ow!" Tohru started to say as she waved her hands but stopped as pain started to travel up her hand. She bent her head and gripped her wrist as if to stop the pain from traveling up her arm. Hatori took one look at her bent head and he heard a vague snap.

"You boys are not helping!" Hatori said in a deadly calm voice. He wasn't aware that he had stood to his full height on top of Tohru's bed. Or that he looked more imposing in Shigure's robes, like a feudal lord ready to behead someone. He looked down at his younger cousins' guilty faces. "Shigure-"

"I'm really hurt Harii! These boys hit me so hard that I'm seeing stars!" Looking at the really violent look in Hatori's eyes, Shigure flung himself to the only soft heart and lap in the house. Shigure whined as he looked at Tohru. "Harii is so mean to me! Tohru-kun!"

"Stop your whining," Kyo snarled at Shigure. "Be a man for heaven's sake! And you- can't you tell that he's faking it?"

"Oh Shigure-san!" Tohru sniffed as she looked at him. "I'm sure that Hatori-san will help you any second now and that Sohma-kun and Kyo-kun will apologize for giving you a warning and that if you-"

"Behave yourself, Shigure," Yuki scolded as he fisted his hands. "And Shigure isn't afraid of Hatori at all, Honda-san. He's faking it!"

"Oh no but- Ow! He couldn't be! Ow!" Tohru countered as she shook her hands wildly. She grabbed her hand at her wrist again. "Ow!"

Fuming at his inability to take care of his patient, Hatori turned to look down at Tohru. "Didn't I tell you to stop waving your hands like that? Shigure-"

From his half-prone figure on the bed, when Shigure looked up at Hatori, he could see right under his cousin's robes. He grinned evilly. "Hatori! I didn't know you were into going commando! Good for you!"

His eyes as big as saucers, Ayame stared at Shigure as the inu simply smirked up at Hatori who was frozen. Then he slowly turned and stared at Shigure. It was so quiet; you could hear a pin drop in the room. Ayame could see the steam slowly coming out from Hatori's ears. "Shigure-"

"Going Commando- commando? Oh no! I stopped you from going on your trip!" Tohru exclaimed horrified as she looked up at Hatori. "I am so sorry! I am sorry! I didn't mean to stop you from going to Commando-"

White-faced, Yuki and Kyo stared at Tohru as she made excuses while Shigure sucked in his breath so fast, he started to choke. Hatori glared down at Shigure at the sound of his choke. The irrepressible inu smirked at him. "Are you going to explain to Tohru-kun that you're already in Commando or should I?"

"That's it! Everybody, get out," Hatori bellowed as he grabbed Shigure by the collar and hauled him up to his feet. Red-faced, Hatori shoved him towards Yuki as he climbed off the bed. "Yuki! Take this baka out with you and get breakfast started. Kyo- you get the vacuum to get this glass off the floor and then wait outside for me -now!"

"But-I want to-" Kyo started to protest but it died at a fierce glare from the Dragon.

"Now," Hatori ordered in a calm and furious voice that allowed no disobedience. He looked at the boys sternly. "She's hurting and if she doesn't get any rest from flailing about she won't heal." He added in a louder voice. "Now- out!"

He saw Kyo nod curtly and then looked at Shigure and Yuki. "And Shigure- I'll see you later."

Shigure ran behind Yuki and hugged him. "Ha-san is scaring me!"

"Let go of me!" Yuki snarled as he reached behind him and bopped his older cousin on the head. He looked at the tear tracks down Honda-san's cheeks. "I'm so sorry for making you any trouble this morning, Honda-kun."

As Tohru was about to answer, Hatori stopped her by grabbing her wrists. "Don't you dare start waving your hands again, young lady. Talk to him after I finish applying more medicine to your fingers. You've opened your wounds again."

"My, my… such activity in the morning!" Ayame cooed as he crossed his arms and leaned against the door.


	4. Ayame Meets Negisan

Chapter Four: Ayame Meets Negi-san

Ayame smiled brightly as he took in all the stunned looks in the room. How he loved making an entrance! He ignored Yuki's pale face as he rushed to grab his hands. "My younger brother how have I missed you! Let us renew our bond with each other-" He leaned over to look at his brother in the eyes and- "Yuki! What the-what happened to your eye?"

"This is too early," Yuki groaned as he tried to pull his hands away from his older brother. He was surprised when Ayame held him firmly. "What?"

"Stay still," Ayame ordered as he shoved the hair from Yuki's eye to get a better look. He winced at the purplish swelling around Yuki's grey eye. "Who on earth gave you that shiner? Hatori, did you see this? Does he need to get some medicine? What happened? Did Kyokon-kichi finally land a hit? Is he all right? Does he need to go to the clinic?"

"Niisan, I'm fine," Yuki said, blushing furiously as he yanked his hands from his brother. He eyed Ayame carefully, he never saw his brother so rattled. It kind of…left a strange feeling inside him. "Really, I am. There's nothing to be worried about."

"I most vehemently disagree, little brother! Hatori, does it look like something not to worry about? I don't think so!" Ayame said in a near shrill. He turned Yuki to face Hatori, lifted up Yuki's hair and pointed to the offending shiner on his brother's face. "It's all purple and has black all over his eye! He couldn't lose that eye- could he?"

"Niisan, I'm fine," Yuki said in exasperation as he pulled his face from his brother's hands. He stepped back slightly to look at Ayame. He had never seen his brother so rattled. "This is nothing to worry about! Hatori- Tell him!"

"Ayame, Yuki is fine," Hatori said calmly as he looked at Ayame as the Snake was about to launch into another frenzied speech about Yuki's eye. "I treated him yesterday and he will not lose an eye. If it were more serious, I would have called you sooner. It's just a shiner, that's all."

"Just a shiner? Just a shiner!" Ayame narrowed his eyes to look at the shiner again. He put his hand to his chest and gasped. He simply could not believe that his beloved Hatori just said that. "Hatori! How could you call it that! This is not just a shiner- This is a shiner of importance! It mars my little bother's perfect features! Why- Why, he could have lost his eye! It's horrible! This is a mark of epic proportions! This is-"

"It's just a shiner!" Kyo yelled in exasperation. "And the only way that the damn Rat could have lost his eye would have been if that spring onion was wielding a knife!"

"Spring onion?" Ayame looked at Kyo blankly. "Spring onion? What does an onion have to do with my baby brother's eye? Did you throw an onion at Yuki?"

Before Kyo could defend himself, Tohru interrupted frantically. "Oh no! It wasn't Kyo-kun at all, Ayame-san! It was Negi-san that did it! Negi-san-"

"Don't start that again," Kyo warned as he glared at Tohru. He looked at Ayame. "I was about to chop a spring onion and somehow it slipped and whacked Rat-boy in the eye."

"Well! Huh!" Ayame said as he put his hands on his hips. He looked from Yuki to Kyo and back. "I certainly don't know if this is true or not! You're telling me that a spring onion was the cause of this shiner on Yuki's eye and not a lucky punch from Kyokon-kichi?"

"When I punch out Rat-boy's lights it sure as hell won't be from luck," Kyo yelled as he started towards the stupid Snake.

"You're absolutely right, Kyo!" Shigure agreed as he threw himself against Kyo's back. "It wouldn't be luck!"

"Get the hell off me!" Kyo yelled then narrowed his eyes at the baka inu. "Are you making fun of me?"

"I'm only agreeing with you!" Shigure said in surprise. Tears started to roll down his face. "Don't you believe me?"

"Oh, this is wonderful!" Tohru whispered as she watched Yuki eye Ayame warily. "The gap is closing! The gap is closing!" She blushed when Hatori looked at her quizzically. "They're meeting each other half-way!"

Hatori nodded slightly. "Only until Ayame-"

Squirming because of the seriousness he had never seen before from Ayame, Yuki flushed as he looked at Ayame. "It's true, Niisan. I got the shiner by being hit by a spring onion. Shigure and Hatori were there when it happened. It's the same way that Honda-san got hurt."

"I see," Ayame mused as he looked at Yuki. Then he made a bright smile as he grabbed Yuki's hands again. "Well, then! If that is the case- I will stay here and care for you as you recover from that nasty shiner! I will make sure that you have all the loving care that your elder brother can give you! I will be right at your side-"

"Nii-san! It's nothing!" Yuki said exasperatedly as he pulled at his hands. "Really!"

"And we can renew our brotherly bonds together," Ayame continued as he pulled his brother to his chest. "We bathe together and shall overcome every obstacle together my young brother-"

"Overcome them yourself!" Yuki said as he pushed himself away from Ayame and shoved his older brother into Shigure. He rubbed his eyes. How could someone have mercurial mood swings that fast? "It's too early for this nonsense!"

"Sprouts his usual nonsense again," Hatori finished with a sigh. He gave her a small smile. "But it's a start, neh? Let's get back to your fingers, Honda-kun."

"Now that the excitement over Yuki's eye is over… Good morning, Aya!" Shigure sang cheerfully as he caught Ayame from falling to the floor. "And here I said that I was going to be running into your arms! Yet here you are in mine!"

"You know how I just love to be unpredictable, Gure!" Ayame purred as he looked at Shigure. He saw the slight shake of Shigure's head- and understood immediately to let his little brother be for the moment. Using the seconds to gain his composure, he allowed himself to be straightened while sliding his eyes towards Hatori, his next favorite person in the world. "Just like the people going commando! You never know who they are!"

"Ayame," Hatori growled as Shigure snarfed down his laughter. "You-"

Ignoring his beloved Hatori's growl, Ayame struck a dramatic pose of wounded pride as he looked at Shigure. "And what have I missed by not being here and bonding with dear Yuki! All of you gathered in your little flower's room! Harii! You should have TOLD me that you were sleeping over! I would have come with you!"

"But Aya! Even we didn't know that Harii was sleeping over!" Shigure protested.

"Nevertheless! I feel so left out!" Ayame said dramatically as his sharp eyes missed nothing. Now that he was closer, he got a better look at Hatori's state: physical and emotional. Why the good doctor hardly noticed that he was wonderfully rumpled and could be the inspiration of many palpitations! And now that he had a better look at Harii and was calmer about Yuki's condition, Ayame was positive that while dressed in Shigure's robes, Hatori looked like a man amongst men! And he was positively agitated over Shigure's flower! He looked at Shigure in askance. "Really Gure! I really am so upset with you! I didn't know you had a sleepover with Harii! How could you!"

"It really was a sudden thing," Shigure said earnestly as he looked at Ayame. "You know that you're really the only one for me. Aya!"

"Well…I do suppose that I could forgive you just this once, my dear Shii-chan," Ayame purred as he gave Shigure his best melting look. Then, at the same time, the two put up their thumbs and said, "Yes!"

"Will you two stop that!" Kyo groaned as he looked at the silly grins between Shigure and Ayame. "It's too early!"

The two shared another secret grin before Ayame turned to Hatori. He widened his eyes so they sparkled brightly. "Hatori! I think that you look positively scrumptious this morning! Don't you think so, Tohru-kun? And the way he's holding your hand- how romantic!"

His face flushing into a dangerous red, Hatori's eyebrows knitted as he growled, "Ayame…"

"Ehhh? Ehh?" Tohru yelped as she blinked at Ayame with her jaw dropped. Then she swung her head to look at Hatori and Ayame could see her brainwaves start to short circuit the moment she registered his mussed hair and his lack of usual Hatori-neatness. Her face blushed furiously as she tried to bring her hands up to her face. "Ehh? Ow!"

"And you look positively delicious yourself, Tohru-kun! So delightfully rumpled! And your pink and white nightgown- such sheer elegance of the design that brings out your assets! Your cheeks are just sun kissed by this beautiful sunny morning! I'm surprised that none of the young romantics in this house had the urge to kiss you good morning!" Ayame gushed as he beamed at her. "You look so cute deliciously rumpled this morning! I just could eat you up! Let me-"

"Ehhh? Ehh? Oh no!" Tohru's eyes grew large as she went into an even bigger mental meltdown. She started to wave her hands wildly about her and smacked her hand against the headboard again. "Ow! Not me! I don't-ow! Look cute at all! Ow! Not like this! Ow!"

"Ayame, stop. Continue your nonsense elsewhere. I'm busy," Hatori said with a look. He then climbed back on the bed and placed his hands on Tohru's face. "Tohru-kun, look at me-look at me." Hatori waited until she looked at him with her big eyes. "Please calm down- you are not going to get any better if you keep on flailing your hands about like that. Understand?"

"Ha-hai," Tohru sniffed as she nodded. "Hai, Hatori-san."

"Good, now let me look at your hand now," Hatori nodded as he swiftly unwrapped the rest of her wounded hand. He inwardly winced at the sight of her fingers. Somehow with all her wild waving, she managed to reopen her wounds and make her fingers bleed even more.

"Nii-san! Stop that! You shouldn't say things like that!" Yuki scolded at the same time as he hit his brother on the head. His face red, Yuki scowled at the knowing grin on his brother's face.

"Why? Don't you think that she looks like a very nice strawberry cake?" Ayame asked as he batted his eyelashes at his brother. "Don't you think that she looks delectable enough to eat?"

"And don't you start looking at her like that either, Rat-boy!" Kyo shouted as he shoved at Yuki, his own face red as a beet. He winced as his fist started to radiate pain.

"I wasn't, but why is your face red?" Yuki demanded with a snarl of his own. "So why don't you get your mind out of the gutter!"

"Oh, this is just so wonderful! Isn't it Shigure?" Ayame gushed as he brought his hands to his heart. "They're arguing about each other's thoughts! In your professional opinion, what do you think it could be about, Master Poet?"

"I think it's because they both think she indeed looks delectable and are jealous that Commando Harii is the one in bed with her," Shigure sang as he looked at his younger cousins. He winced at the glare the two gave him. "And it's novelist! Master Novelist!"

"Okay, that's it," Yuki and Kyo snarled as they started to converge as one on Shigure and Ayame. "You two are going down!"

"Oh no! Ow! You mustn't fight!" Tohru said as she started to wildly wave her good hand. "It's nothing to fight about and I really don't know what you're talking about and-Ow! Why are you all fighting? You can't-ow! Fight-ow! This way! Ow!"

"I thought I told you to stop moving," Hatori scolded. He started to scold some more but stopped at her miserable look. Sighing, he turned to see Yuki and Kyo about to beat their elders. "Boys, if you're going to do that then leave the room. You're upsetting Tohru-kun again."

As Yuki and Kyo looked at each other, Hatori started to say something else when he felt a tug on his sleeve. His heart lurched as he saw tears gathering in Tohru's eyes. "Are you hurting?"

Shaking her head, Tohru looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Why are they all fighting like this, Hatori-san? They usually don't fight like this in the morning! They fight but not like this! I don't understand!"

"Well." Hatori sighed as he tried to think of an answer other than saying 'Just because that's the way they are'. Then he winced as the cursed spring onion came into mind. "I suppose it's because of Negi-san."

"Oh! That's right! Negi-san is still here!" Tohru exclaimed in a horrified whisper. "Oh, that horrid spring onion! This is my fault! I brought him here! We have to send him on his way immediately! What time is it? Where is he?"

"Well, Tohru-kun- I certainly did not mean to-" Ayame blinked as he started to go into a superb speech about not bothering her when he got a good look at Tohru's fingers and grimaced. "Oh my, you poor thing! What beastly device did this to you? I'll go and scold the horrible beast right now! I swear to you that the beast will regret hurting my little brother's- ow!"

"Nii-san! I said stop that!" Yuki scolded as he hit his brother on the head again, his face red.

"She's not the Rat's anything!" Kyo snarled as he clenched his fists then winced in pain.

Shigure nodded. "But only for the lack of trying among them-"

"And what the hell does that mean?" Kyo and Yuki snarled together. Shigure felt the sweat dripping from his head.

"Oh, please don't fight again!" Tohru said softly as she looked at them. Tears started to form in her eyes. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to cause any trouble! Please don't fight! I should have warned you all about Negi-san before I came here except that I really didn't think-"

"Stop crying!" Kyo yelped as he looked at Tohru. "It's all right! You're not the cause of any trouble! It's these two!"

"I agree with the baka neko!" Yuki said as he looked at Tohru. "You're not one to cause any trouble! If it's anybody that's causing any trouble it's-"

"These two young boys right here," Shigure interrupted with a sweet smile. "You have to agree with me, Tohru-kun, that they have caused the most damage around the house with their fighting and their rampant teenage hormones-"

"My hormones are not rampant," Yuki gritted as he glared at Shigure.

"What rampant hormones?" Kyo snarled as his cheeks flushed.

"Why the ones that you have in your body, Kyokon-kichi!" Ayame exclaimed as he batted his eyelashes and put his arm around his brother. "All those marvelous hormones that make us the men we are! And thus showing that we all want to prove to the fair and available maiden that we are, without a doubt, virile and absolutely one hundred percent male! And I have no doubt that my little brother's hormones are the most rampant of all! Why I'm sure that he would like to do nothing more than to rip off his shirt and thump his chest like Tarzan saying-Ow!"

Red-faced, Yuki hit his brother on the head again. "Nii-san! That's enough out of you!"

"But you're all still fighting," Tohru practically wailed. "Because Negi-san is causing you to fight and it's all my fault because I brought Negi-san here and-"

Sighing, Shigure walked over to Tohru and cupped her face in his hand and gave her a reassuring smile. "Tohru-kun. It's all right. You are hardly the cause of any trouble and you could not bring Negi-san because I have a feeling that the spring onion would follow you no matter where you go. So it's not you, it's Negi-san. And teenage hormones running amok-urk!"

"Our teenage hormones," Kyo gritted out as he grabbed Shigure's collar and yanked him away from Tohru.

"Are not running amok," Yuki finished as he smacked the back of Shigure's head.

"If this is not a wonderful example of your hormones running amok then I don't know what is," Ayame tsked as he shook his head. Then he beamed at Tohru brightly. "But then that's all right if they are teenagers, isn't it? Best to have lusty teen hormones in teens than lusty teen hormones in fifty-year old men?"

"Quite true, quite true," Shigure agreed with a wise nod. "But then having teenaged hormones has their own problems as well."

"Yes, like the overuse of bathroom tissue paper and towels," Ayame nodded then he felt the horrified looks his brother and Kyo gave him. A huge sweat drop gathered at his forehead. 'I think I know what's coming.'

A second later, Yuki recovered and shouted as he smacked his older brother on the head. "Nissan! That's just disgusting!"

"Ano I'm sorry- I don't understand but what teen hormones need to be wiped up by tissue and towels," Tohru asked as she looked at Ayame in puzzlement. She blinked as everyone simply stared at her. "Ano Ayame-san? Shigure-san? Sohma-kun? Kyo-kun- what does- Ouch!"

"Sorry about that, Tohru-kun. Anyway, never mind them, Tohru-kun. It's all Negi-san's doing, he's making them to fight in front of you and making you upset and cause nonsense to be sprouted out from their lips," Hatori said as he started carefully wrapping her hand with new gauze. He stopped and wiped the tears away from her eyes. "They're going to be leaving now. Right, Ayame?"

"Do you really think that Negi-san is still doing this?" Tohru asked meekly as she looked at Hatori with wide eyes then she looked at Shigure-san. She missed the threatening look Hatori aimed at Shigure-san. "Shigure-san?"

"Ah-well… Yes, Hatori's correct as usual this seems to be all Negi-san's doing," Shigure agreed quickly. "Hatori is always right about these causes- you know, things causing patients to be upset and all that- Negi-san's the one that caused all this trouble this morning! Isn't that right boys?"

Grimacing, Kyo snorted. "Yeah, whatever. Negi-san's doing all this."

"Yes, Negi-san is doing all of this," Yuki agreed with a wince. "In fact, I think we should be rid of him soon, neh? When did you say you were going, Shigure?"

"You know with all the things going on, I do believe that I don't know this person Tohru-kun keeps mentioning. What is the name again? Oh, yes! Negi-san! Who on earth is Negi-san? Do I want to know him?" Ayame asked curiously as he saw everyone wince at the mention of his name. "What did I say wrong?"

"Oh, no, it's not you Ayame-san!" Tohru cried out as she looked at Sohma-kun's older brother. "It's just that since Negi-san is angry with us! This is why we got hurt and Shigure-san and you and Sohma-kun and Kyo-kun are all fighting-"

"Look, I don't need an excuse to fight with the baka inu!" Kyo interrupted. He started to stutter at her stricken look. "But-but I will admit that I do feel out of it because of Negi-san!"

"Negi-san certainly doesn't need an excuse for me to argue with Niisan!" Yuki added as he looked at Tohru. "But-but I wouldn't put it past him to make me less tolerant of Niisan."

With his hands on his hips, Ayame looked at everyone as if they were all crazy. "And I repeat, who is Negi-san? Is this a person that I need to know?"

Before Tohru could go on, Hatori looked at Ayame. "Never mind, Ayame. Just get everyone down stairs and out of here, will you? And bring the vacuum in here. We don't want Tohru-kun's feet to match her hand."

Ayame blinked for a moment and then saluted happily. "Just leave it to me, Harii! I'll get this lot downstairs!" He clapped his hands and looked at his relatives sternly. "Now it is time for you all to leave Harii with our precious Tohru-kun! Off with you now! I need some breakfast- so Kyokon-kichi! You have the honor of making me breakfast!"

"Why the hell should I?" Kyo snarled as he glared at the outrageous snake. He brought his fist up to hit him.

"Oh! I can make breakfast!" Tohru said as she looked up at them. She winced as Hatori tugged at her hand. "Ow!"

"No, you can't," Hatori said as he tested her fingers. "Your hand still needs to heal. But Ayame can help Yuki and Shigure make it. Isn't that right?"

"Just leave breakfast to me, Harii," Ayame said as he shooed his cousins and brother out the door and into the hall. As his brother flew down the stairs, Ayame shook his head. "Tsk, tsk! Such speed for one in the morning! But it warms the heart that he is rushing to make breakfast for his dear older brother!"

"Yes, yes," Shigure agreed as he looked at Ayame. "Such enthusiasm in the morning! As long as we're not poisoned by Yuki's style of cooking we'll all do well! I do hope he remembers where we used to order breakfast from. Aya, I promise you, I'll get you your breakfast anon!"

"And I will wait with bated breath for your offerings," Ayame cooed as he batted his long lashes at Shigure.

"Oh Jeez," Kyo said as he covered his eyes. "Why don't you two just quit it and get a room?"

Shigure patted Kyo on the shoulder. "Because anticipation is all, Kyo!" He snickered as he avoided Kyo's swing. "Ha! Missed me that- Ooof!"

"But not the second, baka inu," Kyo sneered as he looked down at Shigure who was nursing his head. "Urk!"

Ayame smiled as he rubbed his cheek against Kyo's. "Well, now with all that fun, Kyokon-kichi, if you please- the vacuum must be gotten! My brother's precious-"

"She's not his precious anything," Kyo snarled as he pushed himself away from the damn Snake's death hug and gave him a deadly glare of his own. He grabbed Ayame's jacket lapel with his good hand. "Got that?"

"None of your nonsense now, please," Hatori interrupted as he put his hand on Kyo's shoulder. "I need to look at your hand. Start undoing the wrapping while I finish wrapping up Tohru-kun's." He looked at Ayame. "I thought you were going to make me breakfast. Take Shigure with you. Kyo, go to your room."

"And so, I will be off!" Ayame saluted as he gathered Shigure up from the ground and started to lead him towards the staircase. "Come, Shii-chan, we must make Hatori his breakfast before he gets too grumpy." He brought his mouth closer to Shigure's ear, making it look like he was kissing him there. "And it seems we have much to discuss!"

"Oh, will you two just quit it!" Kyo yelled with disgust as he stomped back into his room. Hatori simply shook his head as he followed the younger boy.

"Oh, Aya! I didn't know you cared that much!" Shigure said aloud for Kyo's benefit. He snickered at the boy's loud groan. In a lower voice, he added, "Yes, we do! But first I must warn you about a most lethal vegetable- Negi-san!"

"How can a vegetable be lethal?" Ayame snorted as he looked at Shigure in askance. He snorted again as they went down the smaller stairs. "Please! I may act like a flamboyant airhead but you know as well as I that I am not THAT empty headed! Or gullible!"

Shigure looked at his friend and cousin, disgruntled at his disbelief. He put his hands up and crossed his heart. "Ayame, you know that I wouldn't lie to you like this- I am telling you that I have witnessed first hand the destruction it created."

"I think that you need some rest or you have read too many of your own fantasy novels thought I would have thought you were more hentai than imaginary, Gure-san!" Ayame shook his head at Shigure in disgust. Then he blinked as a sudden thought came to him. "Or perhaps you simply have a back up of sperm and it's clogging your thinking passages! If that's the case then I know one delightful- oof!"

"Niisan, he does not need to be more hentai than he already is," Yuki said as he purposely bumped his brother in the stomach with the vacuum again. He quickly made it up the second flight, a safe distance away from his brother. "I'm going up to Honda-kun's room to vacuum. You make breakfast, Shigure."

With the quick disappearance of his brother, Ayame called out, "Are you sure it's not because you want to help her put on her dress?" With no answer except a firm slam of the door, Ayame sighed. "Oh, that boy! He's never going to win his princess if he keeps doing that! And what were we talking about again? Oh yes, your build up of sperm which is clogging your mind!"

As they reached the living area, Shigure turned to look at Ayame, indignant. "I can assure that it is not a back-up of sperm that is clogging my thoughts! I am telling you, it is Negi-san. And let me warn you- Negi-san caused all sorts of trouble yesterday! Why, it even caused Tohru-kun's grandfather called to say that he wanted to see her the day after tomorrow and that he was going to have a lawyer present!"

"I highly doubt that a spring onion could do that, Shii-chan! You must really think that I am that naïve to believe you," Ayame snorted as he flounced into the living area. He sat at the table and absently picked up a small red, white and brown bag and absently started to toss it from one hand to the other. "I mean, really! Calling something Negi-san and believing that it can cause bad luck! Really!"

"Ayame!" Shigure choked out as he slowly backed out of the living area. "Ayame- please! Stop that! Put-put that omamori down very slowly and back away!"

"What?" Puzzled, Ayame looked at his cousin who was staring at him with fear filled eyes. Then he looked at the small bag in his hands and realized what it was. Smiling brightly, he continued to toss the omamori back and forth. "This is the infamous Negi-san? In this bag holds the Master of Mayhem? The Onion of Terror? The onion that marred my little brother's perfect features?"

Backing away, Shigure gave his cousin a weak smile. "Ayame…please, be respectful and put Negi-san down and apologize then move away."

"As if I would apologize to an onion," Ayame snorted as he continued to throw the omamori back and forth between his hands. He started to follow Shigure out into the hall. "What is the worst this onion could do? Hurt me? Hurt the ones I love most? Pshaw!"

"Is there anything else that I have to do?" Yuki asked as he came down the stairs with the vacuum cleaner in hand.

"Other than keep Tohru-kun from doing any work today, nothing much, Yuki," Hatori said as he followed the young Rat down the stairs.

At their voice, Shigure called out in warning. "Hatori-Yuki! Watch out-Ayame-"

At the same time, Ayame started towards them with open arms. "Yuki! Hatori! Are you all done caring for our little princess-Ye-ow!"

Yuki watched in horror as Ayame trip on the hem of his coat, his arms flinging forward to catch himself from falling. At the same time, a red bag flew out of Ayame's hand and straight towards him. "Ow!"

Shigure watched with horror as Negi-san flew out of Ayame's hands and right at Yuki's face. He winced as the young Rat's head and body recoiled at the impact of Negi-san, flinging the boy into Hatori and the wall. At the same time, Yuki let go of his hold on the vacuum cleaner, making the body of it fly towards Ayame's prone body while the hose and tube popped off the vacuum's body and tangled itself around sprawled forms of Hatori and Yuki.

"Oh no! Hatori-san! Sohma-kun! Are you all right?" Shigure heard Tohru scream from the head of the stairs. "Eek!"

"Hey! Go slowly!" Kyo yelped at the same time. "Hey!"

Shigure winced as he saw Tohru come tumbling head-first down the stairs and landed on top of Yuki and Hatori with Kyo covering her head and falling down after her. After the smoke had cleared, Shigure grimaced at the sight of Tohru, her eyes spinning in circles sprawled on top of his cousins' clothes. He quickly but carefully made his way towards Tohru. "Are you all right? Don't move!"

"Kyo? Are you all right?" Shigure prayed that Tohru wouldn't take it amiss as he grabbed her legs and pulled her into a sitting position that took her off the clothes. "Hatori?"

"Shigure! Water!" Hatori choked out. Shigure grabbed the shirt that held his cousin and ran to the kitchen.

Kyo, in his cat form, shook his head and patted it with his paw. "I think I'm good. Hey, Tohru! You okay?"

"Oh, my head," Yuki moaned as he crawled out of the clothes and rubbed his right eye. He promptly winced. "Ow!"

Shigure immediately came back and knelt by Tohru. "Are you all right, Tohru-kun?"

"I'm-I'm fine," Tohru stammered as she tried to focus. She leaned her head against the wall. "A bit dizzy too- what happened?"

Shigure looked at Ayame who was only starting to get up from his sprawled position, visibly shaken that the vacuum cleaner landed centimeters from his head. "Oh, let's just say that Negi-san found a way to introduce himself to Ayame. Right Aya?"

"Right, Shii-chan." Moving carefully in a sitting position, Ayame gingerly nodded his head and grimaced weakly. "I think I sprained my ankle because of that lethal vegetable."

"You'll heal," Shigure said a bit callously. "I told you it wasn't a build up of sperm."


	5. Going to School

**Author's Note (1): Sorry for taking so long- too much fic on my plate, too much work and was too little time. It's short and sweet and I'm still working on the ending and this thing's sequel. So thank you all for reading and being very patient with me!**

**Author's Note (2):My japanese sucks. I'll try to keep it to a minimum. Plus, I may get confused with the honorifics. I just hope I got them all right. f not, I hope some of you will let me know.**

**Author's Note (3): I can't remember all the names that Tohru calls Hanajima, so I'll just name her Saki here. And I promise that I'll get it right in the next chapter or fic she appears.**

* * *

**Chapter Five: Going to School**

* * *

"Well, how do I look?" Yuki asked as he faced Tohru. "Is it noticeable?"

"Ano-maybe you should stay home today, Sohma-kun?" Tohru suggested after a moment. "I mean, it's been two days since you were hurt and it doesn't look very bad- the swelling has gone down but-"

"You still look like you got your ass kicked, Rat-boy," Kyo interrupted as he looked up from his traditional Japanese breakfast.

"You should talk, you stupid Cat," Yuki retorted as he glared at Kyo as best he could. "You look like you went through a meat grinder yourself."

"Perhaps Tohru-kun is correct, you should stay home today," Shigure suggested as he looked at his young charges. He winced as he gazed at them. "The both of you."

"I can write the two of you a note," Hatori suggested as he put out his cigarette. "That would excuse the both of you from school today.

Kyo glared at his older cousin. "Yeah, with your hand like that, how are you going to write it?"

"Like you expect to write properly with your hand like that? How do you expect to take notes? At least I can look at the board and take them!" Yuki shot back with a glare. "You should stop talking so stupid-"

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!" Tohru cried as she looked at Yuki and Kyo and everyone else at the table. "This is all my fault! I'm so sorry!"

Alarmed, Yuki placed his hand on Tohru's shoulder. "Honda-kun, it wasn't your fault. Please don't cry. It really wasn't."

Alarmed by the tears gathering at her eyes, Kyo hollered, "Will you stop with the crying? It wasn't your fault that we were hurt this way! It was that damn Ayame's fault! Or that damn Negi-san's fault we were hurt!"

Tohru started to cry harder. "But it was my fault that I brought Negi-san here! I should have warned you about Negi-san but I totally forgot and now you're all hurt because of me!"

"Now that's not true," Yuki protested as he desperately tried to think of a reason to stop her from crying any more.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard of," Kyo sputtered out, desperately trying to think of something to say.

Shigure smiled gleefully at his cousins' attempts to comfort Tohru. 'Oh, this is so much fun! Should I say something? I want to say something! What could I say-' "OW!"

"Don't say anything," Hatori said calmly as he sipped his coffee. He ignored Shigure's incredulous look and the failing attempts to comfort Tohru done by Yuki and Kyo. If anything, she seemed to be more inconsolable. Sighing, he placed his coffee down with a distinct click and rose to his feet and walked over to her. He hardly noticed that Kyo and Yuki became quiet as soon as he knelt down behind her and put his hand on her forehead. "Just as I thought, Tohru-kun, you're starting to get a fever. You must cease this crying immediately if you wish to go to school today."

"Hai, Hatori-san," Tohru whispered as she bowed her head down and tried to stem the tears.

Then Hatori looked sternly at his two young cousins who were looking at him warily. "And you two boys, stop agitating her even more."

Kyo started to sputter. "We're not-"

"Agitating her," Yuki finished through gritted teeth. "We're trying to calm her down."

"Mah-mah! And you boys seemed to be doing a fine job," Shigure snickered at them. He ignored their twin looks of death.

Ignoring Shigure, Hatori forced Tohru to face him by lifting her face with the crook of his finger under her chin. "Tohru-kun, the boys are correct: This was not your fault, only Negi-san's. Yuki can survive going to school with two black eyes, Kyo insists that he's fine with his hand and black eye. Ayame will be fine as long as he stays off his sprained ankle and I can take a couple more days off because of my bruised ribs. The only person who is not fine is you, Tohru-kun. Your hand still has not healed and you just got over that slight concussion because of your fall. And because of that, we're not healing as well as we all should. So you must calm down, Tohru-kun. Do you understand?"

Wiping her tears with her sleeve, Tohru sniffed, "Ha- Hai, Hatori-san. I'm sorry to make you worry, Hatori-san."

"I'm a doctor, Tohru-kun. I'm supposed to worry about my patients," Hatori chided gently. "Now be a good girl and wash your face. I'll drive the three of you to school today because you're all already late. Then I'll pick you up after school."

"Why do you have to pick us up?" Kyo snarled as he glared at Hatori.

"We can walk home, we're perfectly fine," Yuki protested mildly.

"But if you walk home, we're going to be late going to Tohru's grandfather's today," Shigure said as he sipped his tea. "And we don't want to be late."

Dismayed that she forgot all about the meeting with her grandfather, Tohru's eyes grew round. "Oh no! Grandfather! I forgot all about him!"

"But we didn't," Shigure said smugly. "So it's all right."

"How can that be all right?" Kyo roared at Shigure. "He might-ow!"

"Want to see how his granddaughter is doing, right Kyo?" Hatori finished for him. He gave Kyo an annoyed look. "Because if he finds that she's so agitated that it makes her sick then he might think it unhealthy for her to stay here."

"So it might be best if you calm down, Honda-san," Shigure finished for Hatori as he looked at Tohru. "It would not do for you to be feverish today. And besides, you have nothing to worry about- I will be there to-"

"Bore Hatori to death with all the nonsense that he sprouts out of his mouth," Yuki finished.

"Yuki! You wound me!" Shigure cried as tears ran down his face.

"Yes, he did it very well, didn't he?" Hatori commented. He looked at Tohru and patted her on the head. "Now go and wash your face. We must leave soon."

"Hai," Tohru said as she raced towards the door to do Hatori-san's bidding. The room was quiet as the two younger boys looked at their older cousins with annoyance.

"And that, boys, is how you calm down a distressed maiden," Shigure snickered as he looked at the annoyed faces of Yuki and Kyo. Then his face became unusually serious. "You know that she is quite worried about her visit to her grandfather's and these incidents with Negi-san are of no help. Keep your arguing to a minimum if you please and we'll get along fine for the day."

"I will if this damn Rat will keep to himself," Kyo snarled as he looked at Yuki.

"Only if you keep your stupid comments to yourself, you stupid Cat," Yuki shot back as he glared at Kyo as best he could.

"I could make one of you stay home," Hatori commented as he looked at the two boys. "Then one of you can take care of Ayame."

"Are you nuts?" Kyo yelped as he stared at Hatori in horror. "Hell, no way am I going to take care of that damn Snake! Let Yuki stay! He's his brother!"

"I don't think so!" Yuki gritted out as soon as the words came out of Kyo's mouth. "I've had enough of his nonsense, thank you!"

"Don't worry, I'll care for Aya," Shigure snickered as he looked at Kyo and Yuki and their twin looks of horror. Not that he could blame them, the bedridden Snake had driven everyone in the entire household nearly mad. If he wasn't fussing about Yuki then he was fussing about Hatori. If he wasn't fussing about Hatori then he was teasing Kyo. If he wasn't teasing Kyo then he was seeking entertainment from Shigure. And if not that, he was absolutely determined to help Tohru with her chores but more often made a bigger mess than there was originally.

'At least there more than the resemblance between Yuki and Ayame could be found' Shigure thought with a snicker. Nevertheless, it was a testy situation. Even Hatori was ready to forget his oath and do in the demanding Snake until Tohru came up with the brilliant idea of asking Ayame to teach her how to embroider and decorate pillow shams. After that, some calm reigned in the Sohma household. "He should be happy now that he can hobble around."

As Yuki looked at Shigure in disbelief, Tohru raced into the room with her school bag and a pair of dark sunglasses. "Sohma-kun, please! Try these on- perhaps they will work in hiding your black eyes!"

"Honda-kun, I'm sure that they will," Yuki smiled as he took them from her and put them on.

Tohru smiled delightedly. "Oh! Sohma-kun looks just like a movie star!"

"Thank you," Yuki blushed as he ignored the laughter coming from Shigure and the sneering looks from the stupid cat. "But, Honda-kun, I don't think that the teacher will allow me to wear them during classes."

"Oh no, I didn't think of that!" Tohru exclaimed in horror.

"Don't worry, I think that the teacher can make an exception for you," Shigure said with a wave of his hand. "Just as I know that your teacher will make an exception for Tohru's and Kyo's hands because of Hatori's notes."

"And with that, off to school with all of you!" Shigure said as he made shooing motions as he rose himself. "I have to get ready since there is so much to do today! Tralala!"

* * *

**Fruits**

**Basket**

**Forever**

* * *

"What the hell happened to you?" Arisa demanded as she saw Kyo walk into the classroom. The her jaw dropped even further as she saw Tohru's wrapped bandages and Yuki's face. She grabbed her friend's shoulders. "Tohru! Are you all right? And you- prince! Who the hell gave you those shiners?"

"I'm sensing a lot of agitation in Tohru's depna waves," Saki said ominously as she looked at the two Sohma men. Her eyes narrowed as she walked closer to Tohru and the boys. "Why is there some agitation in her normally calm waves?"

"Oh no Hana! It wasn't their fault! Really!" Tohru said quickly as she started to wave her hands around. "Really- it wasn't! Ow!"

"Will you stop waving your hands around like a damn maniac!" Kyo hollered as he grabbed her bandaged hand.

"Honda-san, please stop doing that, you'll loosen your bandages," Yuki said more quietly as he grabbed her other hand. "And then Hatori will have to come back and he will become quite upset with us."

"He won't be the only one that will be upset if you guys don't give us a reason why Tohru's hand is all bandaged up like this," Arisa growled as she cracked her knuckles.

"Yes, 'upset' would hardly be the word if we don't get any answers," Saki said as her eyes narrowed and she looked at the boys.

"Oh no! Don't be upset with them! It was all my fault- really!" Tohru cried out as she looked at her friends. She looked at them with wide eyes. "I was the one that brought Negi-san with me!"

Shocked, Arisa looked at down Tohru. "Oh hell. You mean that Negi-san did all this?"

"Oh, dear," Saki said as she looked down at Tohru. "Then he was very active over the weekend, I take it?"

"Very active," Tohru said miserably as she looked at her friends. "He even hurt Hatori-san, Shigure-san and Ayame-san."

"Wow, that's a lot of people he got," Arisa whistled.

"Indeed it is," Saki agreed as her gaze drifted over to the two boys. "You boys were quite lucky to escape relatively unscathed by Negi-san."

"Wait a minute! You two know Negi-san?" Kyo demanded as he looked at the two girls that surrounded Tohru. "How the hell do you know Negi-san?"

"And what do you mean we were relatively unscathed?" Yuki demanded as he looked at the two girls warily.

Arisa smiled grimly. "Why the hell wouldn't we know Negi-san? We were introduced to him the same way you were- he gave me a bruise the size of Okinawa on my back and caused Saki here to lose five hands at Old Maid in a row."

"That sounds unscathed to me," Kyo snarled as he glared at the former Yankee.

"Negi-san was quite lenient on Uo-chan and Saki-chan the year he met them," Tohru said helpfully as she looked at her friends and smiled. "Not like the other times."

Yuki and Kyo stared at Tohru. "The other times?" "WHAT other times?"

"Yes, Tohru is quite correct- we managed to meet him relatively unscathed," Saki said as she looked at Kyo. "Two years before- Negi-san managed to burn down half of the apartment next door and the year before that, a man insulted Negi-san and he was bitten by a dog. The bite then became infected and he was hospitalized for days. So yes- I think that you are relatively unscathed, don't you think?"

"And don't forget to mention that the landlady slipped on Negi-san and she had to be hospitalized for weeks for a dislocated hip- all because she said that he was puny-looking," Arisa shuddered. "That is one vengeful spring onion."

Kyo's jaw dropped as he stared at the two girls incredulously. "You're kidding- Negi-san did all that? There's no way that-"

Saki's eyes focused on him. "Are you really sure that you wish to finish that sentence? Negi-san has a far reach even after being ceremoniously taken to the river bank."

"Uh, right," Kyo grimaced as he started to feel the hairs on his arms start to rise.

"Ease up, Hana," Arisa ordered as she looked at Kyo then at the school prince. "So has the worst happen yet? From our experience, Negi-san really likes to leave with a bang- ceremony or not."

Sweat formed on Yuki's head as he thought about the imminent meeting between Tohru and her grandfather. "I think the bang will come sooner than you think."

"And the bang shall start right now if you five won't get to your seats," announced the teacher as she glared at the standing students. "Everyone take out a sheet of paper- we're having a pop quiz on Japanese history right now."

"Aw, shit- bang is right," Kyo groaned as he sat at his desk.

**

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Author's Note (4): This was short and like I said, I'm still working on this and it's sequel. (Sorry, it won't involve Negi-san...I hope. I pray. Mainly because Negi-san is too violent for me.) Anyway, pelase review and thank you for reading!**


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